The cost of a crumbling infrastructure carrying natural gas can be counted in explosions, dollars and, unfortunately, lives.

Natural gas pipelines are crumbling below ground. To understand the seriousness of the problem, one need look no further than downtown Springfield, where a natural gas explosion wreaked havoc over several city blocks and injured 21 people 13 firefighters, two police officers, one Water Department employee, as well as four Columbia Gas workers and a photojournalist for abc40-FOX 6.

Based on the amount of destruction, it’s surprising that there were no deaths.

State arson investigators determined a Columbia Gas employee responding to a report of leak accidentally punctured a mismarked gas line. The employee evacuated the 20 or so workers inside and warned emergency personnel in the area, minutes before dissipating gas levels sparked a detonation that sent a fiery cloud into the night sky and shook communities as far away as Belchertown.

U.S. Sen. Edward Markey’s August report on the issue of leaking pipelines paints a dire picture: “Gas distribution companies in 2011 reported releasing 69 billion cubic feet of natural gas to the atmosphere, almost enough to meet the state of Maine’s gas need for a year and equal to the annual carbon dioxide emissions of about six million automobiles.”

Markey’s report discusses the paradox: “Natural gas has been touted as a cleaner alternative to coal for producing electricity, but its environmental benefits cannot be fully realized so long as distribution pipelines are leaking such enormous quantities of gas, which is primarily comprised of methane, a greenhouse gas that is at least 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide.”

In the decade from 2002 to 2012, the senator’s report tallied “several hundred” significant incidents killing 116 people, injuring 465 and causing more than $800 million in property damage.

Markey has introduced two bills to address the problem: One will require utilities and state regulators to consider replacing the oldest, leakiest gas pipelines first.
The second will establish a state revolving loan fund for natural gas pipeline repair and replacement.

Markey’s work on this issue is vital to the welfare of anyone who lives or works near natural gas lines. His bills make more than economic and environmental sense. They will save lives.